Comments for The Reading Deskhttps://thereadingdesk.com
By Peter DonnellySun, 20 Jan 2019 21:31:20 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=5.0.3Comment on The Annual Bookend: Volume 1 (2018) by Peter Donnellyhttps://thereadingdesk.com/annual-review-2018/#comment-24
Sun, 20 Jan 2019 21:31:20 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=1017#comment-24Thanks for leaving such a kind and supportive comment on the post, it is really appreciated. All authors need support from reviews but I feel Indie Authors require additional support and there are many areas we can help – thanks for recognising this. I also came across Karl on Twitter and I’ve just finished reading and reviewing his second book The Wait for Shadows, and we’ve also just interviewed him which should be out shortly. Really interested in that piece.

I look forward to continuing our dialogue and please feel free to visit us anytime and drop us a line whenever. Take care!!!

]]>Comment on The Annual Bookend: Volume 1 (2018) by Peter Donnellyhttps://thereadingdesk.com/annual-review-2018/#comment-23
Sun, 20 Jan 2019 21:24:40 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=1017#comment-23Thanks for stopping by Eeva and it’s been a pleasure to connect with you this year.
]]>Comment on The Annual Bookend: Volume 1 (2018) by Wilbursonhttps://thereadingdesk.com/annual-review-2018/#comment-22
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 06:18:47 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=1017#comment-22So interesting to hear about your background and how your reviewing career has taken off. Well done for the recognition you are earning by learning and honing your craft and for being a top reviewer in Ireland! I like the ethos shared by you and your colleagues. I note that you list The Weight Of Shadows by Karl Holton at #7 on your list – I come across it often on Twitter and your recommendation has prompted me to put it on my TBR list. A wonderful post.
]]>Comment on Interview with Aimee Cabo Nikolov – Author of Love is the Answer: God is the Cure by Wilbursonhttps://thereadingdesk.com/interview-with-aimee-cabo-nikolov/#comment-21
Thu, 17 Jan 2019 05:01:17 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=734#comment-21Glad to see that this particular book is getting more exposure and hope that others will spread the word, particularly for younger people who may be experiencing similar problems or supporting others. Aimee has been very courageous in writing this book and it is wonderful how her faith has helped her get through the dark times.
]]>Comment on The Annual Bookend: Volume 1 (2018) by Eeva Lancasterhttps://thereadingdesk.com/annual-review-2018/#comment-20
Thu, 10 Jan 2019 13:45:58 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=1017#comment-20Thanks for the mention Peter!
]]>Comment on Infants of the Brush: A Chimney Sweep’s Story – A.M. Watson (Peter) by Peter Donnelly - The Reading Dhttps://thereadingdesk.com/infants-of-the-brush-a-m-watson/#comment-19
Thu, 22 Nov 2018 10:20:21 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=861#comment-19It was harrowing for the working children of the time and to think they often suffered abuse from their “owners”. I know my 26 year old couldn’t cope 🙂
]]>Comment on Infants of the Brush: A Chimney Sweep’s Story – A.M. Watson (Peter) by James Lawlesshttps://thereadingdesk.com/infants-of-the-brush-a-m-watson/#comment-18
Wed, 21 Nov 2018 07:02:39 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=861#comment-18A very interesting review Peter. One wonders how a six year old of today would have coped.
]]>Comment on Time Crawlers – Varun Sayal by Varun Sayalhttps://thereadingdesk.com/time-crawlers-varun-sayal/#comment-17
Tue, 30 Oct 2018 00:05:14 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=814#comment-17Thanks a lot for this amazing review, Peter. I am glad you liked the stories. My upcoming book will be propounding on one of these stories. Will share more updates on it soon.
]]>Comment on I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes by Terryhttps://thereadingdesk.com/i-am-pilgrim-terry-hayes/#comment-15
Tue, 16 Oct 2018 08:16:22 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=726#comment-15Hi Gerard, I don’t think I have ever responded to a review of either a movie I have written or of my novel. Everybody is entitled to their opinion and once you decide to put it out there publicly then you have to accept that is the situation – for good or bad and there is no point in getting into an endless discussion about it. Nevertheless, I read your review of my novel and I didn’t want to let it pass without congratulating you on your insight concerning the characters and plot. This has nothing to do with the fact that you praised the novel – I have been fortunate enough to have received that from a number of people. No, what particularly struck me was when you said “it is always contained within the accepted narrative bias of the characters themselves”. Yes – the narrator is an American spy; he is not me. Therefore he has his own prejudices and attitudes. He is certainly not a bleeding-heart liberal – if he were he would never have chosen the deadly career that he did. The other thought of yours that found a very happy response here was when you said “It’s not trying to be politically correct, it’s aiming for raw authenticity, the story and settings are gritty, the character motivations are unforgiving”. Of course, a man given Pilgrim’s task would have had little time for the politically correct and because the story was told from his point of view and in his voice the narrative had to reflect that. To me, I have always held that the task at hand called for a certain type of man and that the character’s attitudes and beliefs had to reflect and be consistent with the sort of man who would undertake it. That was where the raw authenticity came from: the character demanded it no matter what I might have wanted. As far as I know, you are the only person who has written abut these issues and I am very grateful you did. After these years and so many reviews, it was a very refreshing read. Best wishes, Terry Hayes
]]>Comment on I Am Pilgrim – Terry Hayes by Gerard Loughranhttps://thereadingdesk.com/i-am-pilgrim-terry-hayes/#comment-16
Tue, 16 Oct 2018 05:11:36 +0000https://thereadingdesk.com/?p=726#comment-16Hi Terry, thank you for your feedback, and for giving us a fantastic novel.

As you’ve mentioned, the commercial success of I Am Pilgrim and the critical praise more than speaks for the quality of it. I had noticed a few other reviewers were in my opinion unfairly harsh due to political reasons and it’s important to make the distinction between an author or creators viewpoint and that of the characters they wish to realistically portray in the world they inhabit.

I personally found no issue with any of the language or character-led bias, nothing seemed out of place in the context of the story or what each character had went through, and the Saracen provided fair counter rhetoric to Pilgrim as well.